Now then is there promise out there for fast charging ? found this while googling apparently the zoe charger is fully compatible with the fluence and the battery's in it etc what do people think ? http://www.pluginamerica.org/vehicle...ult-fluence-ze

I drive gently but not ridiculously so - nearer 50 than 60 on A roads, nearer 60 than 70 on Motorways.

I'd leave a bit of extra safety margin if you have passengers/kids along as you'll have more weight, you're less likely to get away without using air-con and it's more of a pain to get stranded if it's not just you.

Before tackling a long trip, I'd try to get a bit more of a feel for the likely range for your driving style, individual car and local roads to build up your confidence, and then research which public chargers can be used by the Fluence on the routes you want to travel, with Plan B options too.

Also, remember, because the Fluence doesn't charge very quickly, you're unlikely to take on more than about a quarter charge equal to 20-25 miles even on a long lunch stop. That means you need to do most of the charging either at home or at your destination (do you have the second cable with a three-pin plug?).

I think rapid charging for the Fluences in Europe is never going to happen now but this isn't a big limitation for me given my pattern of use and the other pluses of the car.

Hi again yes i have the 3 pin cable as well, i would make sure we have a full charge before setting off and make sure there somewhere to charge at the other end so i go back with a full charge etc. Been told to use eco mode for the heating etc. But yes your right get familiar with the car and route etc.

Paul

It is possible to drive the whole 100 miles without recharging, but you have to go very slowly.

With the speed limiter at 50km/h, 30mph, driver only and no climate control, I've driven 103 miles until the very low battery warning (the constant beeping) on hilly terrain.

If you need to go faster and take extra weight or climate control it's better to plan for an intermediate charge.
If you can stop in a charging point along the way and charge for 1 hour you should be ok, just watch the range on the dash against the remaining trip distance.

Hi thanks for that i have ordered some rainx to stop the car from misting up that should help me use the heater less often lol. Just playing at the moment but so far i'm at 40 miles and half a tank round town i'm presuming it would be better rang on a long run at say 50 / 55 mph. Also i'm presuming taking my foot of the accelerator and not apply the brake to naturally slow down helps the regen kick in ? Doing this i see the gauge go into lighter blue so guessing doing this right? Sorry for the newbie questions but this is my first electric car.

paul

Yes, go slower as you suggest, and use the regen, although I don't think you get much regen at the beginning of the journey as you're operating with a full battery.

The regen can do most of your stopping on the open road, but be careful because I think the brake lights only come on when you physically brake (although I think some people believe they may come under strong regen - it's difficult to check!).

All of my 100 mile or near 100 mile ranges have been on what are by British standards hot days (Portugal where Alexandre is probably gets that a lot more than we do!), say high 20s C.

Also, for some reason, driving in the rain seems to hit range quite a bit, even if you don't use heating/air-con etc for reasons I don't understand...

So if you can do your trip on a nice day, all the better!

The brake lights will come on under strong speed decrease, if you let the foot off the accelerator on a uphill road the speed decrease will be high and the brake lights will come on.

Rain introduces a lot of friction on the car and wheels movement, so every car will get lower mileage in the rain.

More tips for better mileage:
- In normal driving you will only need the brake pedal for a complete stop, if you are using the brake pedal for slowing down it means you accelerated too much before.

- Try maintaining the power needle off the red zone, or use the dash kW display. You can do most trips without passing 20kW of instant power, you just need to have a slower acceleration. Lower power means less losses due to heat in the cables and power electronics.

- If you have time make the same 10 mile trip using the speed limiter at different speeds. Reset the mileage on the dash before starting and take note on the end. That will show you how speed affects mileage.

- Tire pressure. Never user less than the recommended pressure. For better mileage use 10 to 20% above the recommended pressure but never exceed the pressure marked on the tires.

Thats really good advice thanks for posting, i haven't explored the speed limiter yet so guess that's the next thing to look at, i always make a effort to keep the needle out the red. All these little tips are really helpfull thank you.

And of course, never use the cruise control which is wholly unsuited for EV use!

Been a total newb to ev driving why is cruise control un suited to ev driving ? If nothing else its a education lol